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Choosing The Best Cell Phone Plan

Anyone interested in purchasing a cell phone will have so many options that the need for careful consideration becomes clear. In addition to choosing the right cell phone, a consumer must also consider the cell phone plan that goes with it. The wide variety of options available can be confusing, but that's where Wirefly comes in.

Manually digging through all options is certainly a daunting task, and that is assuming that a prospective buyer can even find all the available options in the first place. Wirefly's innovative cell phone comparison tool will help you find the best cell phone or smartphone as quickly and easily as possible.

Use our tool to filter by:

Features

Price

Manufacturer

Operating System

Carrier

Color

& More

Comparing Cell Phones

Users have many phone models to choose from in the market, and there are many other things to consider even when comparing one or a few models. When it comes to features, our tool lets you filter even further by:

Phone category

Best in class

Connectivity

Camera and video camera

Form factor

Keyboard and interface

Memory

Storage

Music capabilities

Accessibility

Bonus features

If you're looking for a cell phone plan, rather than just a phone, check out Wirefly's Compare Plans tool.

Best in Class

Other consumers will be interested in the best in class depending on their respective interests. Some of the factors used to list the best phones include size, weight and battery life. Factors like battery life are not constant, however, because the ways people use their cell phones will play a significant role in determining the actual life. It is only natural to expect people who use their phones sparingly to have longer battery life that those who frequently make calls or communicate via text messages and emails. Best in class phones typically cost more.

Thin vs Light

Consumers interested in thin and light cell phones should not confuse the two, for a thin phone can be heavier than a relatively larger one. It is therefore important to consider both categories to get a phone with both features.

Phone Category

Phone category refers to whether the phone is a smartphone or a basic phone, like a flip phone. Smartphones are usually much more expensive than basic phones, but they will have a lot more features, many of which are extremely useful. Free cell phones can be attained usually by signing up for a 2-year contract, but those are hard to come by these days. However, you can still get a phone for zero money down that you'll pay off over 12 or 24 months. There are so many apps and functions for smartphones that it sometimes seems like it’s taken for granted that everyone has a smartphone these days. But basic phones are a lot less expensive and if you really don’t want some of those features than a basic phone might be the right choice.

However, some users may not be interested in more features than basic cell phones can offer, in which case it will be more economical to choose a basic phone.

Smartphone OS refers to the operating system in a smartphone. The most popular current smart phone operating systems are:

iOS from Apple

Android from Google

BlackBerry

Windows Phone

Manufacturer

A mobile phone manufacturer is the company that designs and produces the physical phone. Some manufacturers have contracts with certain carriers, so in many cases you can only get certain phones with certain carriers. Read through some cell phone reviews on these different manufacturers to get a better idea of the type of phone that each manufacturer produces. Browse Wirefly for exclusive cell phone deals from all manufacturers and carriers.

Keyboard and Interface

Keyboard and interface refers to the style of the screen and keyboard of the phone. On some phones, you use the number keys to type text messages. On some phones, you get a flip keyboard that looks like a standard keyboard. Some phones have touch screens with a display of a keyboard that you use right on the screen. A 4-inch or bigger display refers to the size of the screen. Most phones with 4-inch or bigger display screens are usually touch screen phones.

Screen sizes are usually referenced in inches. Most touchscreen phones have screens larger than four inches these days, although you can find smaller ones if you really want a smaller screen.

Form Factor and Color

Form factor and color refer to the actual outward appearance of your phone. You can choose phones that are:

Open-faced: These are phones like the iPhone and Android phones that look like small tablets so they don’t need to be opened to make calls or send texts

Flip phones: Phones that flip open to use. Basic phones are usually flip phones.

Slider: These phones slide open. This means that the keyboard may be underneath a screen that slides away.

You can also search phones based on color. Many phones come in a variety of colors. Even if you can’t find a phone in the color you like, you can usually find skins for your phone in different colors and patterns.

Camera

Most modern cell phones have built-in cameras, usually but not always with video capability. The cameras have a wide range of capabilities that can be used to make comparisons. Such a comparison is especially handy to consumers who frequently use their cell phones to take pictures or record videos.

Storage

Storage goes hand in hand with camera use among other features, because recording quality videos requires significant amount of storage. Users may also be interested in storing different types of media and data in their phones. Some types of phones have predetermined storage sizes that users cannot expand. The internal storage of modern phones typically start at 8 or 16 GB, but many of them also accommodate expandable storage through the use of memory chips or memory cards as they are popularly known. Phones with external storage card slots also have maximum sizes they can accommodate, which buyers must consider.

Almost all smartphones can also store, stream, and play music. Check out different phones and data plans to see how much music storage and streaming you can get with different phones. Some phones also have FM radio access.

Memory (RAM)

The memory on your mobile phone determines how much RAM your phone has. This will influence how many apps you can run at the same time, and how fast they will open. Memory can also influence the stability of your phone, and prevent it from crashing. You cannot change the memory amount on most phones, so be careful when you pick a phone that it has the memory amount you want.

Connectivity

Connectivity refers to the types of data networks that your phone can access. These include

4G networks: The latest in cell phone data technology. You can connect to the 4G network to browse the Internet when there is no WiFi service available.

Mobile hotspot capabilities: Some smartphones can be used as hotspots. This means that you can turn on your phone as a hotspot and connect your computer to the hotspot to browse the Internet. Wireless carriers will usually charge you an extra per use fee to turn your phone into a hotspot.

WiFi access: WiFi networks are public wireless Internet servers. If your mobile phone has WiFi access, it means that you can connect to public WiFi networks to access the Internet.

Bonus Features

Some phones have bonus features that appeal to different types of users, which they can consider when making comparisons. Some extra features are:

Push-to-talk: this function allows a cell phone to function as a walkie talkie, but it is important to note that many cell phone carriers require users to subscribe to some voice plans for the feature to work.

Rugged phone: this is a type of cell phone that is designed to withstand different types of activities where they are likely to get dropped or exposed to weather elements.

World phone: different cell phone carriers operate in different frequencies, and a world phone is one that can access the frequencies used in different parts of the world. This feature can come in handy to users who make frequent international travels, as they will not need to change plans.

Accessibility

This refers to the ability of a cell phone to connect to hearing aids. Some cell phones are only capable of connecting to a few hearing aids, and users should determine the ones they can use.

Wirefly Is America's Most Trusted Source For All Cell Phones, Plans, TV, and Internet Deals

Wirefly offers great deals on a large selection of smartphones, cell phones, tablets, mobile hotspots, and other wireless devices for the nation's most popular carriers. Use Wirefly’s innovative cell phone and plan comparison tools to ensure you are getting the best deal on the market. Shop with confidence knowing that Wirefly wants to help you find the best prices on cell phones, cell phone plans, TV, and Internet service.